1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera by which time-lapse photography can be performed, and more particularly to a device for controlling a recording operation of image data in an external memory such as a memory card detachably attached to the camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a technology is known in which time-lapse photography is performed and moving image data is recorded in a file of an external memory such as a memory card, as disclosed in US-2011-242360-A1. The external memory is usually controlled to open the file only when a recording operation is carried out, and when a recording operation is not carried out, the file remains closed so that image data recorded in the file does not get corrupted. Namely, in a conventional time-lapse photography, the file is opened and the image data is recorded in the file, and the file is then closed. Thus, opening and closing operations of the file are repeated every time image data is recorded in the file.
If the opening and closing of the file in the external memory are repeated in time-lapse photography, it becomes difficult to perform the process for opening and closing along with the image processing of the image data when the time interval of the photography is short, such as 1 second. Thus, time-lapse photography could not be performed at a short time interval.